Are you suffering with Joint Pain?

Why do my joints hurt?

It is estimated that more than 9 million people in the UK suffer from arthritis and related conditions, experiencing frequent stiffness, pain, swelling, fatigue and reduced mobility. Inflammation occurs as the body's immune system targets affected joints, leading to pain and swelling which can be debilitating.

Treatment generally focuses on pain relief and anti-inflammatory medication. However, in many cases this medication can present unwanted side effects such as raised blood pressure, diarrhea and increased susceptibility to infection.

Joint pain symptoms:

Typical joint pain symptoms include:

• Persistently aching joints such as ankles, wrists, knees, hips, back or shoulders• Stiffness or swelling in joints• Pain during movement

Joint Pain and Diet

If you find yourself asking “why do my joints hurt?” and experience prolonged aches and pains without an obvious cause you should visit your GP to rule out any underlying medical conditions.

If you continue to experience persistent aching joints, it may be a good opportunity to take a closer look at your diet.

As individuals, our reactions to foods and drinks we consume varies a great deal. An ingredient which may cause problems for one person could be completely acceptable for another. At YorkTest, we like to refer to this as our personal ‘food fingerprint’.

For those with joint pain, discovering and understanding your own personal food and drink intolerances, and the effects they have on your health and wellbeing is important to ensure you make the best possible choices to optimise your diet and quality of life. Identifying and eliminating these specific foods from your diet can be an important step forward in maintaining an anti inflammatory diet which could be beneficial to your joint health

The Results Speak for Themselves

The University of York conducted a survey* to help understand the benefits of elimination diets based on the results of a food intolerance test.

Out of the 177 people who reported experiencing general aches and pains, including joint pain, 88% reported an improvement having removed their ‘trigger’ foods. We define these as foods which show a positive IgG reaction to antibodies in the blood.

Overall in the study, 76% of people who rigorously followed the recommended diet reported a benefit, 68% of which experienced this after 3 weeks.

Main Condition Reported

% of people who reported a benefit

Low Energye.g. Fatigue, Lethargy

87%

Gastrointestinale.g. IBS, Bloating etc

80%

Respiratorye.g. Asthma, Sinusitis, Rhinitis

72%

Neurologicale.g. Migraine, Headaches, ME

78%

Dermatologicale.g. Eczema, Acne, Psoriasis

76%

Musculoskeletale.g. Arthritis, Joint Aches & Pains

64%

Psychologicale.g. Depression, Anxiety

81%

Information provided above regarding Food Intolerance (defined by YorkTest as a food specific IgG reaction) is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimisation. YorkTest do not claim to treat or cure the aforementioned symptoms and recommend that you discuss any medical concerns you have with a GP before undertaking a YorkTest programme.

*Survey carried out with a total of 5286 people who had taken the YorkTest – or to give it its scientific name - a food-specific IgG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) blood test.

YorkTest define Food Intolerance as a food-specific IgG reaction. Our information is intended to provide nutritional advice for dietary optimisation. YorkTest do not claim to treat or cure symptoms and recommend that you discuss any medical concerns you have with a GP before undertaking a YorkTest programme.